Deutsch was drafted during World War I; he served two years and eight months in the service but was never sent overseas (probably because he was deaf in one ear). He became a minor celebrity around New Jersey for his unorthodox methods of running the Tube Bar: there were no barstools, only one bathroom, women were forbidden to enter until the late 1970s, and anyone caught not drinking was subject to be beaten by Red and ejected by force. However according to Jim Davidson, as stated in an interview with Howard Stern, this was only partially true.

Red, at 6 feet 2 inches and over 200 pounds, was still an imposing physical presence even in his 80s and was famous for his unusual voice, described by one person as "a deep, guttural bark." He was also known for his charitable giving. Newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin wrote about Red in a 1974 column, adding to Red's already legendary status. Deutsch is still known today for his profanity-filled tirades in response to a series of prank calls placed in the mid-1970s to his bar. The recordings of these calls were widely circulated in the 1980s and 1990s. The character of barkeeper Moe Szyslak on television's The Simpsons is said to be based on Deutsch.

Deutsch sold the Tube Bar in 1980, and retired to Pompano Beach, Florida, where he died three years later at the age of 87.